Senior Nick Sparling paced the Vikings with a 4-under-par 140 to tie for 9th place at the Dixie State Regional Preview. PHOTO: WWU Athletics

Vikings Finish 7th at Regional Preview in Utah

October 17, 2018

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BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Led by a top-10 finish by senior Nick Sparling, the Western Washington University men’s golf team placed 7th out of 27 teams in the Dixie State Fall Regional Preview played Monday and Tuesday at The Ledges Golf Club.

The No. 14 nationally-ranked Vikings carded rounds of 293 (+5) and 284 (-4) in the tournament that featured a pair of frost delays that caused most teams to finish the first round earlier this morning. WWU’s two-round score of 1-over-par 577 was just four strokes short of a top 5 finish. In four fall tournaments, WWU three wins and has recorded team scores at or under par in 9 of 11 rounds.

“Nick (Sparling) was extremely solid today and his game looks very sharp,” said WWU head coach Luke Bennett. “This group continues to feed off each other. Lots of positives from the whole squad, but there is definitely room for improvement.”

Serving as a preview for the NCAA West/South Central Regional that will be held in May 2019 at the same course, the Vikings placed in the top 10 of the 27-team field. Chico State won the team title at 25-under-par 551, with host Dixie State placing 2nd at 14-under-par 562.

Sparling (Dublin, OH/Dublin Coffman/Ohio State) tied for 9th in the 135-player field finishing at 4-under-par 140. He recorded rounds of 71 (-1) and 69 (-3) for his third top-10 finish this season.

Freshman Jordan Lee (Tacoma, WA/Bellarmine Prep) birdied his three of his last five holes in the first round to finish with a 2-over-par 74, and carried that momentum into his second round carding a 1-under-par 71. The reigning GNAC Golfer of the Week tied for 32nd place at 1-over-par 145 for the tournament.

Senior Cody Roth (Bellingham, WA) and junior Ethan Casto (Snohomish, WA) tied for 54th at 3-over-par 147. Roth shot a 4-under-par 32 on his final nine holes (the front nine) to complete his first round, including birdies on five of his final seven holes.

“Cody’s finish in the morning round really sparked us for a solid final round,” added Bennett.

Roth finished with 10 birdies in the tournament, tied for 8th-most in the field.